Adolescence
by Graystripe64
Summary: Teenage Tigress becomes a little curious about kissing, and who better to walk in on her while she's studying up, than Shifu? Completely clean. No Ti/Shi, if that's what you were thinking. That's gross.


**Even Tigress is helpless against the awkwardness of being a teenager. This is just a silly idea that I've been ruminating on for a while. I really didn't anticipate that it would eventually turn into a full-fledged, ultimately harmless story. But here it is, anyway! :)**

** I hope it evokes a laugh or two.**

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><p>Adolescent Tigress lay atop her futon on her stomach. Her arms were folded underneath her small pillow, which her head rested on. Master Shifu had ordered that she and Viper spend the afternoon to rest, preparing them for an intense performance tomorrow in which they would welcome two new students to the Palace. Shifu didn't give much information on the species of the students, but informed that they were both males.<p>

Viper was more excited at that piece of news more than Tigress. The snake liked change; she embraced it. While Tigress…well, she was just less accepting. But underneath her stoic exterior, the female tiger was actually anticipating the boys' arrival. She didn't really understand why. She was as confused as anyone as to the new feelings she felt rushing in her growing mind and body.

What if one of the new students was a tiger, like she? No. She put the fantasy out of her mind. What would be the point of training a second tiger at the Palace? Shifu wouldn't agree to such an idea. Still…Tigress couldn't get her already imagined male tiger character out of her head. He remained locked in her vision, brining a tiny, longing smile to her face. She pictured him with silky, well-kept orange fur with thick, jet-black stripes. His eyes? Hmmm…what color did she like best? Green? No, then he'd look too vain. Blue? Yeah, blue was better. His heavy brows folded over them heroically, winking at her with a handsome smile. Tigress jolted herself awake from her imaginings. What was wrong with her? She'd never been so fixated on men before. Why the sudden emotions?

She _thumped_ her head back into her pillow in frustration - angry with herself for acting like some love-struck kitten. Burying her head deeper into the cushion, her attention was suddenly called to the strange realization of just how soft it was. She patted it with her paw, thinking how smooth 'her male tiger's' cheek fur could be. She tried to fight against the sudden urge she felt. But her hormones were strong. Too strong. Her battle against nature was an uneven one. And she lost.

Propping herself on her elbows, she held the pillow in her hands, just in front of her face. She closed her eyes and when she opened them, she saw the face of her dream tiger on it. He was real…at least in her mind. Tigress was lost in her own little world of brief romance. She'd never had one before and never anticipated having one. But she liked it, and continued to like it as she stared into the imaginary blue eyes of the striped feline opposite her. Everything that followed was like an act. She was acting - pretending like she were a small child again.

Leaning into the small pillow, she stared at it romantically. Tigress laughed and whispered as if she were talking to another person, with the rest of the conversation going on in her head:

"Hmmm, you're really sweet…No, my Kung Fu's not _that _good…Stop, you're just saying that!"

The heat rose to her cheeks, hidden by her thick layer of fur. Her ears flattened to her head. Suddenly, the young feline's eyelids lowered heavily…lustfully.

"No, it's okay…I want to. I've wanted to for a long time," she murmured with a smile. Chuckling, she added bashfully, "You see, I've never _actually_ done it before." She paused before adding, "Really, you don't mind? Thanks for being so understanding."

Young Tigress was instantly overcome by her urge, her desire. Closing her eyes, she leaned further into the pillow with puckered, ebony lips. A euphoric sensation hit her the moment she made contact with the fabric. But in her mind, she _really_ _was_ kissing the handsome, male tiger of her dreams – his silky lips connecting with hers. A purr rose in her throat. The teenage girl pressed a little deeper, imagining the passion of the kiss increasing with each gentle _smack_ of her lips. Her movements were slow and calculated – meaning to savor every moment of enjoyment as if it were really happening.

Tigress' right ear twitched at the sound of an extremely light rustle, squinting in frustration at the idea of being interrupted from her pleasing task. She decided to ignore it and kept on fervently kissing her imaginary love (the pillow). She was just about to let out a moan of pleasure when she heard the sound of a throat being cleared.

Her eyes immediately shot open, looked to her right, and saw Master Shifu standing just below her bedside, a bit of bewilderment plastered on his features. With a scream, Tigress punched the pillow, sending it flying across the room. It landed with a _thud _against the opposite wall and onto the floor. The adolescent tiger pressed her back straight against the wall behind her, legs in lotus position.

She was gaping at her adoptive father with a look of horror – eyes narrowed into slits, ears folded, and chest rising and falling as each pant escaped her mouth. Tigress was drowning in a swamp of embarrassment. It was so intense she could feel her throat tightening into a choke.

Shifu, however, just stared at her with a baffled expression – not really knowing how to address her. Tigress was, after all, in constant discipline-mode. Seeing her this emotional was an utter shock. But at the same time, a wave of sympathy washed over him. She was a young and growing girl – almost a woman. Those 'natural urges' were obviously beginning to reveal themselves – probably leaving her confused and a little unsure of herself. He remembered having a brief discussion with a pubescent Tai Lung on the same subject.

Tigress wiped a speck of drool from the corner of her mouth in a frantic motion before finally finding her voice, painful though it was. "M-Master, I – "

"I came to let you know that you and Viper _will_ be demonstrating the 'Puppet of Death' move tomorrow. We found a suitable volunteer, so our plans will go on as originally anticipated." The elderly red panda was surprised by how smooth and direct his voice sounded, despite the awkwardness of the situation beforehand.

Tigress' heart finally settled a little in her chest. She released some of the tension in her muscles. "Oh…a-alright," suddenly, she hardened her voice more seriously, "I mean – yes, Master. Thank you." She then hung her head low as she sensed her master limp out of the room quietly, praying to the gods that that was all he had to say.

But, to her dismay, he quickly turned back around to face her. His large ears were lowered, a visible sign of his discomfort in confronting the situation. "I…certainly didn't mean to _interrupt _you. I'll take it you'll agree with me when I say, you've earned a little more _privacy_ for yourself?"

Her muscles immediately tensed up again painfully, sending more heat rushing to her face and using all her willpower to make sure it didn't show.

"Forgive me for not understanding sooner that you've started…_maturing_."

Tigress said nothing still, not trusting her own voice to speak well enough on her behalf. She wanted desperately to run away from her master's penetrating blue gaze. Each word he emphasized was like a fire arrow to the chest. Why was he dragging this out? What more could he say that wouldn't make her feel already more terrible about herself?

"I see now that you've reached that age were I assume you'll have some questions about…well… _those_ kinds of things." He gestured to the dilapidated pillow across the room.

Tigress snarled under her breath, completely enraged by having to talk about such a mortifying subject – one, that for a moment, she believed had been dropped. "Master, I swear I didn't mean anything by it! I was just – " she let out a violent sigh, "I only wanted to – "

Shifu saved her from her torment, much to her surprise. "Oh, trust me, I _know_ what you were doing. I just want to reassure you that you shouldn't feel ashamed. Embarrassed, yes, that I'm making you talk about it, but not ashamed. You did nothing wrong."

A little surprised, she darted her eyes away from his and curled her knees up to her chest. The young feline brought her arms around them and muttered slowly, "…Okay."

"_Best leave her to her thoughts,"_ the red panda told himself as he eyed her for a moment. _"She's certainly learned a thing or two. She'll recover…"_

With a tiny smile adorning his muzzle, he turned around again to exit her room. But not before adding one last thing: "Oh, and do not worry. I won't tell anyone about what occurred here today."

A flutter of hope and relief rose in Tigress' heart, looking at her adoptive father with an intense stare. "Thank you, Master," she responded, bowing as deeply as she could from her seated position.

As soon as she sensed that he had gone completely, Tigress sighed and leaned her head against the wall behind her, staring into nothingness. After a while of that, she turned to her pillow still slumped at the end of the room. It might be a while before she ever did _that_ again. But when she did, she would make sure not to feel abashed at doing so.

Oh, how there was still so much more left to understand…

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><p><strong>And Shifu kept his word... :)<strong>


End file.
